


coffee shop

by rubyliam



Series: rubiam fics [2]
Category: The Darkest Minds Series - Alexandra Bracken
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-09
Updated: 2019-01-09
Packaged: 2019-10-07 00:34:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17355611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rubyliam/pseuds/rubyliam
Summary: His name was Liam, and he had been working at the café for a month.





	coffee shop

“Medium iced almond milk latte!”

Ruby was glad to get out of the heat as she stepped into the cool temperature of the coffee shop. Walking to a table, she set down the book and journal she carried in her hands, reaching up to push the hair out of her face. Her eyes looked toward the counter, to the smiling boy handing a cup to a customer. The customer had electric blue colored hair and Ruby watched as she didn’t return a smile to the barista.

His name was Liam, and he had been working at the café for a month.

“You’re staring,” Vida warned, sitting in the chair next to Ruby.

Ruby glanced to her friend, biting her lip for a second before opening her mouth to say, “I--"

“ _Can’t help it_ ,” Vida said, her voice high pitched as she tried to impersonate Ruby. “ _His blue eyes are amazing and his blonde hair that curls over his forehead is possibly the cutest thing. Oh, Vida, his face is so handsome!_ ”

Ruby shoved her, “I don’t talk like that.”

“But you do think he’s handsome.”

Quickly, Ruby looked to Liam behind the counter again. He was making a drink for a waiting customer. But, he didn’t look as if he had heard Vida. Ruby looked down to her book, “Maybe.”

“Definitely.”

Rolling her eyes, Ruby looked down and opened her book. She heard Vida mix up her own coffee as she started on the chapter she stopped at the previous night. “Are you going to order your drink?”

“In a bit.”

Ten minutes and another chapter later, Vida was shoving her lightly and then, close to her, a voice said, “Regular iced black coffee with just sugar?”

The slight Southern drawl to his voice made a fluttering feeling form in Ruby’s stomach each time. Her head shot up from reading and her eyes met the blue colored ones of Liam. He stood at the same table, the beautiful smile hanging on his lips, as he shook the drink in her direction.

“What did you do, write it down?” Vida snapped.

Instead of taking the comment as offense, Liam only laughed. “No, but when a--" he stopped, reconsidered what he was going to say, and continued with, “I have great memory, and you’ve been coming a while with the same order every day.”

Ruby was too shocked as she grabbed her wallet to say anything, cheeks burning. “Four fifty, right?”

“And what was the point of making it without her ordering?” Vida asked. “Obviously she was waiting.”

“Vi--"

“It’s a hot day out,” Liam responded, not backing down. “And, um, I just thought it would be nice. To get you this iced coffee.”

Chubs, the second barista who worked at the café, shouted out a, “Smooth, Liam!”

The tips of Liam’s ears grew red. His eyes went to the money Ruby pulled out of her wallet and he quickly said, “Free, on the house.”

His friend shouted again from behind the counter, “What the hell, man?”

“Are you sure?” Ruby asked, holding out the money more. “I have it right here--"

“I was actually hoping you would pay it back with a date.”

Next to her, Vida let out a snort.

“What?” Ruby said.

“A date.” The words almost fell out of his mouth. “Simple, doesn’t need to be a lot. I just want to, uh, get to know you.”

Chubs slapped a hand against his forehead. But she didn’t pay attention to him, or her own friend next to her, eyes just on Liam, as she said, “Yes.”


End file.
